Sister Margaret Lusby, CSC
(May 27, 1920- July 15, 2010)
Please, join in prayer of thanksgiving for this Sister of the Holy Cross who died on July 15, 2010 in Saint Mary's Convent.
In her last days she was supported and consoled by the presence of her close friend Sister Paula Goettelmann, who kept vigil during Sister Margaret’s last days.
Sister Margaret embodied the Holy Cross spirit of hospitality. Her welcoming attitude spoke to each visitor in the personal way in which she extended herself to provide whatever the guests needed. If she knew someone was coming to visit she made sure everything was ready, even to the point of reserving space at the dinner table. She was a master of details, and so preparations were made and meticulously carried out. This care, however, was never imposed on anyone else since she went about the tasks in her own quiet manner.
This same spirit of caring endeared her to students and parents during her many years of dedicated teaching in the elementary and secondary schools of the East. Loyal friends kept in contact with her throughout the years, and she could recall each one and recite the names and activities of the various family members. Each time they would reconnect with her she could immediately relate to them as if they had just talked the day before. It is no wonder she was loved and revered by them.
Caring was key to Sister Margaret’s personality and was very evident in her dedication to the cause of the missions. She was the moderator of the Catholic Students Mission Crusade in a number of schools where she taught. She involved her students in organizing Mission Day mini-festivals to raise money in support of the missions. This concern for others and mission spirit may have sprung from her high school experience as secretary to Miss Mary Merrick, the foundress of the National Christ Child Society, an organization dedicated to serving at-risk children.
In 1976, after 35 years of successful teaching, she begin a 17-year stint in pastoral ministry at St. John the Baptist de la Salle Parish in Hyattsville, Maryland. Always aware of the needs of others, her day included visiting the elderly of the parish in their homes and bringing holy Communion to them when they were sick or in the hospital. This ministry was a source of great joy to her, and those who received her gracious care were uplifted by her wonderful smile and cheerful presence.
Being Sister Margaret’s friend was a special privilege because she endeared herself to each one with a deep interest and support that endured through joyous and difficult times. She seemed to be intuitive in knowing just when someone needed a letter or a phone call. Perhaps the occasion was to offer encouragement or sympathy or even a nudge in the right direction. No one took her friendship lightly; it was a gift and a treasure. She now reaps the rewards of her years of caring service as she rests in eternal peace.
Funeral arrangements for Sister Margaret are as follows: reception of the body and wake on Tuesday, July 20, 2010, at 4:00 p.m. with the Mass of Resurrection on Wednesday, July 21, 2010, at 10:30 a.m. All of these ceremonies will take place in the Church of Our Lady of Loretto.
May she rest in peace.